Powered garments, portable devices controlling powered garments, chargers for powered garments, enclosures for storing powered garments, and interconnections of powered garments

ABSTRACT

In selected examples, a hanger couples to an electrically-powered garment, to provide electrical energy to the garment to recharge the battery of the garment. The electrical energy may be transferred from the hanger to the garment using inductive coupling. The electrical energy may also or instead be transferred using contact coupling facilitated by magnet(s) in the interfaces of the hanger system and the garment. The garment may include biometric, environmental, and other sensors to collect data. The hanger system-garment interfaces may provide for data flow between the hanger and the garment. In selected examples, a smart garment may be controlled by a smartphone or another mobile device. The smartphone may control several smart garments, which may be connected in series and/or in parallel, with one of the smart garments being a master connected to the smartphone, and the other garments being slave garments connected to the smartphone through the master.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/703,825, entitled POWERED GARMENTS, PORTABLEDEVICES CONTROLLING POWERED GARMENTS, CHARGERS FOR POWERED GARMENTS,ENCLOSURES FOR STORING POWERED GARMENTS, AND INTERCONNECTIONS OF POWEREDGARMENTS, filed Dec. 4, 2019, now allowed; which is a continuation ofand claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/703,038,entitled POWERED GARMENTS, PORTABLE DEVICES CONTROLLING POWEREDGARMENTS, CHARGERS FOR POWERED GARMENTS. AND INTERCONNECTIONS OF POWEREDGARMENTS, filed Dec. 4, 2019, now allowed; which is a continuation ofand claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/562,415,entitled POWERED GARMENTS, PORTABLE DEVICES CONTROLLING POWEREDGARMENTS, CHARGERS FOR POWERED GARMENTS, AND INTERCONNECTIONS OF POWEREDGARMENTS, filed Sep. 5, 2019; which is a continuation-in-part of andclaims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/552,889, entitledPOWERED GARMENTS, PORTABLE DEVICES CONTROLLING POWERED GARMENTS,CHARGERS FOR POWERED GARMENTS. AND INTERCONNECTIONS OF POWERED GARMENTS,filed Aug. 27, 2019; which claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/858,261, entitled POWERED GARMENTS, PORTABLEDEVICES CONTROLLING POWERED GARMENTS, CHARGERS FOR POWERED GARMENTS, ANDINTERCONNECTIONS OF POWERED GARMENTS, filed Jun. 6, 2019. Each of theabove-referenced patent documents is hereby incorporated by reference inits entirety as if fully set forth herein, including Specification.Figures, Claims, and all other matter.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to electrically-powered garments;electrically-heated garments; electrically-heated garments withrechargeable power sources; chargers for electrically-powered garments;charging garment hangers; garments heated and cooled using fluids/gases;garments with integrated and attachable sensors; networkedelectrically-powered garments; interconnected groups and networks ofelectrically-powered garments and/or their rechargeable power sources;devices for powering, charging, configuring, and controlling suchgarments and groups/networks of garments and their rechargeable powersources; and methods for operating, configuring, and collecting datafrom such garments, groups of garments, and devices.

BACKGROUND

The textile and garment industries are undergoing a significantevolution. For much of the history of the textile industry, cotton,linen, leather, hemp, and silk have been the primary materials forgarment production. In the early part of the last century, nylons andpolyesters were added as staple textiles. As materials sciences evolveand weaving techniques improve, textiles are being developed that haveunique desirable properties. Further, textiles and garments are beingcreated that allow for sensor and other devices to be integrated intothe textile or designed into the garment.

The performance of individuals quickly diminishes in environments thatpush body temperatures above or below about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Toenhance performance and comfort, a garment may be insulated to provideto the wearer protection against high and/or low temperatures.Insulation, however, may increase the dimensions and/or weight of thegarments, and may inconvenience the wearer. A need in the art exists forgarments that provide added protection against heat and/or cold, yet donot excessively inconvenience the wearer. To enhance the performance ofindividuals further, it would be useful to monitor physiologicalattributes and states of the individuals. A need in the art exists forgarments that facilitate collection of biometric, environmental, andother information during use. With the integration of heating andcooling capabilities into a garment and with the increased use ofgarment biometric sensors, a need in the art exists for improvingfunction control and configuration of powered garments by the wearer.Additionally, with the integration of these functional devices into atextile or garment, electrical power is necessary to support operationsof these devices. For convenience, rechargeable battery technology maybe used. Therefore, a need in the art exists for improving electricalrecharging of garments with rechargeable power sources.

SUMMARY

This document describes embodiments, variants, implementations, andexamples of novel techniques for addressing one or more of the needsidentified above, and/or other needs. Selected embodiments described inthis document include apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacturethat facilitate recharging of garments with rechargeable cells,collecting of information from sensor-equipped garments, cooperationbetween and among two or more garments capable of electrical heatingand/or collection of sensor information, and control and configurationof smart garments.

In an embodiment, a power cell recharging system is described.

In an embodiment, a hanger system includes a main body having a centralportion, a first shoulder extender (support) protruding sideways fromthe central portion in a first direction, and a second shoulder extenderprotruding from the central portion in a second direction; a hangingattachment device attached to the main body to allow the hanger systemto be hanged with the first shoulder extender and the second shoulderextender pointing in (directed towards) opposite horizontal directions;a hanger charging interface configured to couple to a garment charginginterface of a powered garment and to recharge a rechargeable battery ofthe powered garment, the hanger charging interface includes: a hangerinterface surface, a plurality of hanger contacts on the hangerinterface surface, and a hanger magnet near the hanger interfacesurface, the hanger magnet having a first pole configured to attract thegarment charging interface of the powered garment; and hanger circuitryconfigured to provide charging electric energy to at least two hangercontacts of the plurality of hanger contacts, for charging therechargeable battery of the powered garment.

In aspects, the plurality of hanger contacts also includes one or morehanger contacts configured for data communication.

In aspects, the plurality of hanger contacts forms a universal serialbus (USB) interface.

In aspects, the hanger circuitry is also configured for the datacommunication.

In aspects, a the hanger system and the powered garment form acombination.

In aspects of the combination, the powered garment includes: an articleof clothing, the rechargeable battery, garment circuitry, and a garmentcharging interface. The garment charging interface includes a garmentinterface surface, and a garment magnet with a second pole near thegarment interface surface, the first pole and the second pole beingopposite magnetic poles to attract each other. The garment charginginterface also includes a plurality of garment contacts, the pluralityof garment contacts including at least two charging contacts configuredto receive charging electric energy. The garment magnet and the hangermagnet generate a magnetic force when the garment interface surface andthe hanger interface surface are near each other, the magnetic forcetending to bring the garment interface surface and the hanger interfacesurface into contact with each other so that the contacts of theplurality of hanger contacts and the contacts of the plurality ofgarment contacts touch each other and enable transfer of the chargingelectric energy from the at least two hanger contact to the at least twogarment contacts.

In aspects, the garment circuitry is configured to receive the chargingelectric energy from the at least two hanger contacts through the atleast two garment contacts and charge the rechargeable battery using thecharging electric energy.

In aspects, the plurality of garment contacts also includes one or moregarment contacts configured for the data communication, and the garmentcircuitry is also configured for the data communication. When thegarment interface surface and the hanger interface surface are broughtinto contact with each other by, e.g., the magnetic force, the one ormore hanger contacts configured for the data communication and the oneor more garment contacts configured for the data communication come intocontact to enable the data communication between the hanger circuitryand the garment circuitry.

In aspects, each contact of the plurality of hanger contacts is acircular disc or a ring, all contacts of the plurality of hangercontacts are concentric, and the first pole of the hanger magnet isdisposed at the center of the plurality of hanger contacts.

In aspects, each contact of the plurality of garment contacts is asmaller contact, and the second pole of the garment magnet is disposedsubstantially at the center of the plurality of garment contacts.

In aspects, each contact of the plurality of garment contacts is acircular disc or a ring, all contacts of the plurality of garmentcontacts are concentric, and the second pole of the garment magnet isdisposed at the center of the plurality of garment contacts.

In aspects, each contact of the plurality of hanger contacts is asmaller contact, and the first pole of the hanger magnet is disposedsubstantially at the center of the plurality of hanger contacts.

In aspects, the powered garment includes a clothing label and thegarment interface surface is disposed on or under the label.

In aspects, the hanger interface surface is on a first side of thehanger system, the hanger system also includes a second charginginterface means for charging on a second side of the hanger system, thesecond side being opposite the first side.

In aspects, the hanger interface surface is on a first side of thehanger system, the hanger system also includes a second charginginterface means for contact charging on a second side of the hangersystem, the second side being opposite the first side.

In aspects, the hanger interface surface is on a first side of thehanger system, the hanger system also includes a second charginginterface means for inductive charging on a second side of the hangersystem, the second side being opposite the first side.

The first and second sides may be parallel to each other.

In an embodiment, a hanger system includes a main body having a centralportion, a first shoulder extender protruding sideways from the centralportion in a first direction, and a second shoulder extender protrudingfrom the central portion in a second direction, the main body forming afirst surface and a second surface; a hanging attachment device attachedto the main body to allow the hanger system to be hanged with the firstshoulder extender and the second shoulder extender pointing in oppositehorizontal directions; a first hanger charging interface attached to themain body and configured to couple to a garment charging interface of apowered garment and to recharge a rechargeable battery of the poweredgarment. The first hanger charging interface includes a sending coildisposed near the first surface to couple inductively to a receivingcoil of the garment charging interface when the powered garment ishanged on the hanger system, and a hanger magnet having a first poleconfigured to attract the garment charging interface of the poweredgarment. The hanger system also includes hanger circuitry configured todrive the sending coil with alternating current to couple inductively tothe receiving coil at a frequency that limits radiation from the sendingcoil, thereby providing charging electric energy for charging therechargeable battery of the powered garment.

In aspects, the frequency is equal to or less than 100 KHz.

In aspects, the frequency is equal to or less than 10 KHz.

In aspects, the frequency is equal to or less than 1 KHz.

In aspects, the frequency is electric power grid frequency of 50 Hz or60 Hz.

In aspects, the sending coil is disposed inside the main body, thesending coil has a first sending coil end and a second sending coil end,the first sending coil end being disposed near the first surface and thesecond sending coil end being disposed near the second surface, and thesending coil is configured to transfer the charging electric energy fromthe first surface, from the second surface, and/or from both the firstand second surfaces.

In aspects, the frequency is 50 Hz or 60 Hz, and the hanger circuitryincludes a transformer to convert household voltage to a lower voltagethat is used to provide the alternating current to drive the sendingcoil.

In aspects, a combination includes the hanger system and the poweredgarment.

In aspects of the combination, the powered garment includes means forcharging the rechargeable battery of the powered garment using thecharging electric energy from the receiving coil.

In an embodiment, a garment system includes an electrical power source;a controller system; a memory; a wireless communication system; at leastone biometric sensor and/or a heating panel; an electrical contactassociated with a magnet, the magnet providing a coupling means for acharging system, and having a plurality of contact points for providingelectric charging and/or data transfer.

In an embodiment, a clothes storage system includes a garment enclosuredesigned to receive and store a garment and substantially enclose thegarment when the garment is inserted into the garment enclosure. Theclothes storage system also includes an induction exciter configured toexcite electromagnetic induction inside the garment enclosure when theinduction exciter is driven by a time-varying electrical drive. Theclothes storage system additionally includes induction excitingcircuitry configured to provide the time-varying electrical drive to theinduction exciter. The clothes storage system further includes anenclosure-garment data interface configured to establish short rangewireless communication links.

In aspects, the time-varying electrical drive provided by the inductionexciting circuitry is alternating (AC) electrical drive.

In aspects, the frequency of the AC electrical drive is 50 Hz or 60 Hz.

In aspects, the frequency of the AC electrical drive is under 10 KHz.

In aspects, the frequency of the AC electrical drive is under 100 KHz.

In aspects, the enclosure-garment data interface includes a Bluetooth®transceiver.

In aspects, the enclosure-garment data interface includes a wirelessradio frequency transceiver configured to establish wirelesscommunication links using transmit power of 1 mW or less.

In aspects, the enclosure-garment data interface includes a wirelessradio frequency transceiver configured to establish wirelesscommunication links using transmit power of 10 mW or less.

In aspects, the enclosure-garment data interface includes a wirelessradio frequency transceiver configured to establish wirelesscommunication links using transmit power of 100 mW or less.

In aspects, the garment enclosure is or includes a garment bag, whichmay be a travel bag.

In aspects, the clothes storage system also includes a battery, and theinduction exciting circuitry includes a DC-to-AC converter configured toreceive electrical energy from the battery and convert the electricalenergy from the battery into the time-varying electrical drive providedto the induction exciter.

In aspects, the induction exciting circuitry is configured to receive 50Hz or 60 Hz outlet electricity and convert the outlet electricity intothe electrical drive for the induction exciter.

In aspects, the garment enclosure is a walled closet, for example, in adwelling room, a working room such as an office, or another place of abuilding's interior.

In aspects, the induction exciter includes one or more enclosure coils.

In aspects, the clothes storage system also includes a WAN interface toa wide area network, thereby allowing the enclosure-garment datainterface to be connected to the wide area network through the WANinterface. The WAN interface is selected from the group consisting of aWiFi interface, a cellular interface, and an Ethernet interface.

In aspects, a combination includes the clothes storage system and agarment. The garment includes a garment battery, an induction receiver,and a battery charger coupled to the garment battery and to theinduction receiver, the battery charger being configured to receiveinduced electrical energy that is induced in the induction receiver bythe induction exciter, to convert the induced electrical energy into DCelectrical energy suitable for charging the garment battery, and tocharge the garment battery using the DC electrical energy.

In aspects of the combination, the garment also includes a garmentprocessing module and a wireless garment data interface configured toestablish a wireless communication link with the enclosure-garment datainterface, whereby the garment processing module is enabled to send datato and receive data from external computing devices coupled to the widearea network, through the garment data interface, the enclosure-garmentdata interface, and the WAN interface.

In aspects, the garment data interface includes a garment Bluetooth®transceiver, the enclosure-garment data interface includes an enclosureBluetooth® transceiver, and the WAN interface includes a WiFitransceiver coupled to a modem that connects to the Internet.

In aspects, the garment also includes one or more sensors selected fromthe group consisting of biometric sensors and environmental sensors, andthe garment processing module is coupled to the one or more sensors toconfigure the one or more sensors for operation and/or for collectingsensor data from the one or more sensors.

In aspects, the garment wireless data interface is also configured tocommunicate with a wireless data interface of an additional garment.

In aspects, the garment also includes a garment-to-garment interfaceconfigured to communicate with a data interface of an additionalgarment. The garment-to-garment interface may be a wired and/or wirelessinterface.

In an embodiment, a clothes storage system includes a garment holderdesigned to receive and store at least one garment, an electromagneticradiator attached to the garment holder, power circuitry configured toprovide electrical drive to the electromagnetic radiator to cause theelectromagnetic radiator to radiate radio frequency (RF) power forconversion to DC charging power used to recharge batteries of poweredgarments, and a holder-garment data interface configured to establishshot range wireless communication links.

In aspects, the garment holder includes a garment hanger with a hook anda pair of garment support sections.

In aspects, the garment holder is a garment bag, such as acarrying/travel garment bag.

In aspects, a combination includes the clothes storage system, and apowered garment. The powered garment includes a battery, anelectromagnetic radiation receiver, and a battery charger coupled to thebattery and to the electromagnetic radiation receiver. The batterycharger is configured to receive the RF power radiated by theelectromagnetic radiator of the clothes storage system and received bythe electromagnetic radiation receiver of the powered garment, toconvert the RF power into DC electrical power suitable for charging thebattery, and to charge the battery using the DC electrical power.

In an embodiment, a powered garment includes a battery, one or moreelectrical energy-consuming components powered by the battery, anelectromagnetic radiation receiver, and a battery charger coupled to thebattery and to the electromagnetic radiation receiver. The batterycharger is configured to obtain electrical energy generated by radiofrequency (RF) radiation in the electromagnetic radiation receiver, toconvert the electrical energy into DC electrical energy suitable forcharging the battery, and to charge the battery using the DC electricalenergy, whereby the battery is recharged using the RF radiation.

In aspects, the one or more electrical energy-consuming components ofthe powered garment include a heating element.

In aspects, the one or more electrical energy-consuming components ofthe powered garment include a processing module, a radio frequencytransceiver, and one or more biometric and/or environmental sensors.

In an embodiment, a smart garment includes an article of clothing orfootwear. The smart garment also includes a first processing module. Thesmart garment additionally includes a first memory coupled to the firstprocessing module; the first memory stores first instructions executableby the first processing module. The smart garment further includes oneor more first sensors, each sensor of the one or more first sensorsselected from the group consisting of biometric sensors andenvironmental sensors. Each sensor of the one or more first sensors iscoupled to the first processing module and is configurable and readableby the first processing module. The smart garment further includes afirst short range radio frequency (RF) transceiver coupled to the firstprocessing module. When the first processing module executes the firstinstructions, the first processing module configures the smart garmentto: establish a first RF communication link with a communication device,thereby enabling the first processing module to receive from thecommunication device first configuration information for the one or morefirst sensors; configure the one or more first sensors in accordancewith the first configuration information; collect first sensor data fromthe one or more first sensors; and transmit the first sensor data overthe first RF communication link from the smart garment to thecommunication device.

In aspects, the first short range RF transceiver is or includes a WiFitransceiver, a cellular transceiver, and/or a Bluetooth® transceiver.

In aspects, the transmit power of the first short range RF transceiverdoes not exceed 10 mW.

In aspects, the transmit power of the first short range RF transceiverdoes not exceed 100 mW.

In aspects, the one or more first sensors include at least two sensorsselected from the group consisting of a Global Positioning System (GPS)sensor, an external temperature sensor, a body temperature sensor, anaccelerometer, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a heart rate sensor, ablood oxygenation sensor, a blood glucose sensor, an ionizing radiationsensor, a non-ionizing radiation sensor, a light sensor, a movementsensor, a gas sensor, a smoke sensor, a dust sensor, a camera, and amicrophone.

In aspects, a combination includes the smart garment and thecommunication device. The communication device includes a communicationdevice processor, communication device memory coupled to thecommunication device processor and storing an app with instructions, anda short range RF communication device transceiver coupled to thecommunication device processor. The communication device transceiver iscompatible with the first short range RF transceiver of the smartgarment, and the first RF communication link is between the first shortrange RF transceiver of the smart garment and the short range RFcommunication device transceiver. When the communication deviceprocessor executes the instructions of the app, the communication deviceprocessor configures the communication device to transmit the firstconfiguration information over the first RF communication link to thesmart garment, and to receive the first sensor data over the first RFcommunication link from the smart garment.

In aspects, the communication device is or includes a smartphone, atablet, a portable computer.

In aspects, the communication device also includes a cellulartransceiver.

In aspects, the communication device also includes a WiFi transceivercoupled to a modem that connects to the Internet.

In aspects, the communication device is built into a garment hanger.

In aspects, the communication device is built into a garment bag.

In aspects, the communication device also includes a second RFtransceiver that provides a link to the Internet.

In aspects, when the communication device processor executes theinstructions of the app, the communication device processor furtherconfigures the communication device to send the first sensor data to aremote server via the link to the Internet.

In aspects, when the communication device processor executes theinstructions of the app, the communication device processor furtherconfigures the communication device to transmit the first configurationinformation to the smart garment over the first RF communication link.

In aspects, when the communication device processor executes theinstructions of the app, the communication device processor furtherconfigures the communication device to receive the first configurationdata over the link to the Internet.

In aspects, the smart garment also includes a temperature varyingelement having a power off setting and one or more power on settings,and the communication device also includes a user interface. Thesettings of the temperature varying element are controllable by thefirst processing module. When the communication device processorexecutes the instructions of the app, the communication device processorfurther configures the communication device to receive through the userinterface setting selections for the temperature varying element, and totransmit the setting selections via the first RF communication link tothe smart garment. And when the first processing module executes thefirst instructions, the first processing module configures thetemperature varying element to operate on settings corresponding to thesetting selections. In this way the user of the combination (such as awearer of the smart garment) is enabled to control temperature settingsof the garment.

In aspects, the temperature varying element is or includes one or moreheating elements and/or one or more cooling elements.

In aspects, the temperature varying element is or includes a thermalcontrol element.

In aspects, an apparatus includes the combination and a slave garment.The slave garment includes one or more configurable slave deviceelements and a slave-master data interface to the smart garment. Whenthe first processing module executes the first instructions, the firstprocessing module further configures the smart garment to send slaveconfiguration information to the slave garment through the slave-masterdata interface, thereby causing one or more configurable slave deviceelements to be configured in accordance with the slave configurationinformation.

In aspects, the slave data interface is or includes a wireless interfaceand/or a wired interface.

In aspects, the one or more configurable slave device elements include aheating element.

In aspects, the one or more configurable slave device elements include afirst slave sensor, which may be a biometric sensors or an environmentalsensor.

In aspects, the smart garment also includes a second short range RFtransceiver; the slave-master data interface includes a slave garmentshort range RF transceiver compatible with the second short range RFtransceiver of the smart garment; and, when the first processing moduleexecutes the first instructions, the first processing module furtherconfigures the smart garment to establish a second RF communication linkbetween the second short range RF transceiver of the smart garment andthe slave garment short range RF transceiver, and to transmit the slaveconfiguration information to the slave garment over the second RFcommunication link.

In aspects, the slave-master data interface includes a slave garmentshort range RF transceiver compatible with the first short range RFtransceiver of the smart garment. When the first processing moduleexecutes the first instructions, the first processing module furtherconfigures the smart garment to establish a second RF communication linkbetween the first short range RF transceiver of the smart garment andthe slave garment short range RF transceiver.

In aspects, when the communication device processor executes theinstructions of the app, the communication device processor configuresthe communication device to transmit the slave configuration informationover the first RF communication link to the smart garment.

In aspects, the slave garment includes a slave device processing moduleand a slave device memory coupled to the slave device processing moduleand storing slave device instructions executable by the slave deviceprocessing module. The slave device processing module is coupled to thefirst slave sensor to configure the first slave sensor and read thefirst slave sensor. When the slave device processing module executes theslave device instructions, the slave device processor configures theslave garment to collect slave sensor data from the first slave sensorand transmit the slave sensor data over the second RF communication linkto the smart garment.

In aspects of the apparatus, when the first processing module executesthe first instructions, the first processing module further configuresthe smart garment to receive the slave sensor data from the slavegarment and to transmit the slave sensor data over the first RFcommunication link to the communication device.

In aspects of the apparatus, the communication device further includes asecond RF transceiver that provides a link to the Internet. When thecommunication device processor executes the instructions of the app, thecommunication device processor further configures the communicationdevice to transmit the first sensor data and the second sensor data to aremote server via the link to the Internet.

Various features and aspects will be better understood with reference tothe following description, drawings, and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates selected components of a powered garment inaccordance with selected aspects described in this document:

FIG. 2 illustrates selected components of a charging clothing hanger, inaccordance with selected aspects described in this document;

FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 illustrate selected components of charging clothinghangers having multiple charging interfaces, in accordance with selectedaspects described in this document;

FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E, 6F, 6G, 6H, and 6I illustrate selectedcomponents of a foldable/portable hanger with magnetic charginginterfaces facing in opposite directions, in accordance with selectedaspects described in this document;

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate selected components of magnetically coupledmechanical charging interfaces, in accordance with selected aspectsdescribed in this document;

FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, and 8D illustrate components of a charger with amagnetically coupled mechanical charging interface, in accordance withselected aspects described in this document;

FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate selected components of a stackable garmentbattery with magnetically coupled mechanical charging interfaces, inaccordance with selected aspects described in this document;

FIG. 10 illustrates selected features of a combination of a charger asin FIGS. 8A and 8B with multiple batteries as in FIGS. 9A and 9B, inaccordance with selected aspects described in this document;

FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate selected components of a charging clothinghanger with magnetically coupled charging interfaces on front and rear,in accordance with selected aspects described in this document;

FIG. 12 illustrates selected components of a combination of a poweredgarment with a portable device such as a smartphone configured tointerface and control the powered garment, in accordance with selectedaspects described in this document;

FIG. 13 illustrates selected steps of a process for performing auser-selected function by a powered garment, in accordance with selectedaspects described in this document;

FIG. 14 illustrates selected components of a combination of a portabledevice such as a smartphone with a powered master garment and twopowered slave garments, in accordance with selected aspects described inthis document;

FIG. 15 illustrates selected components of another combination of aportable device such as a smartphone with powered master garment and twopowered slave garments, in accordance with selected aspects described inthis document; and

FIG. 16 illustrates selected features of a garment travel bag with abuilt-in garment charger and data interface(s), in accordance withselected aspects described in this document.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The words “embodiment,” “variant,” “example,” “implementation,” andsimilar words and expressions as used in this document refer to aparticular apparatus, process, or article of manufacture, and notnecessarily to the same apparatus, process, or article of manufacture.Thus, “one embodiment” (or a similar word/expression) used in one placeor context may refer to a particular apparatus, process, or article ofmanufacture; the same or a similar expression in a different place orcontext may refer to a different apparatus, process, or article ofmanufacture. The expression “alternative embodiment” and similar wordsand phrases may be used to indicate one of a number of differentpossible embodiments, variants, examples, or implementations. The numberof possible embodiments, variants, examples or implementations is notnecessarily limited to two or any other quantity. Characterization of anitem as “exemplary” means that the item is used as an example. Suchcharacterization does not necessarily mean that the embodiment, variant,example, or implementation is a preferred one; the embodiment, variant,example, or implementation may but need not be a currently preferredembodiment, variant, example, or implementation. All embodiments,variants, examples, and implementations are described for illustrationpurposes and are not necessarily strictly limiting.

The words “couple,” “connect.” and similar words/expressions/phraseswith their inflectional morphemes, do not necessarily import animmediate or direct connection, but include within their meaningconnections through mediate elements.

The expression “processing logic” should be understood as selectedsteps/decision blocks and/or hardware/software/firmware for implementingthe selected steps/decision blocks. “Decision block” means a step inwhich a decision is made based on some condition, and subsequent processflow is selected based on whether the condition is met or not met.

“Footwear” means outer wearing apparel worn on feet, such as shoes andboots.

A “garment” means an article of clothing, including a textile article ofclothing and an article of clothing made of another material. A“garment” also signifies a piece or pair of “footwear.” References to“non-footwear garment” mean a “garment” that is not footwear.Non-exclusive examples of “garments” include: jackets; coats; pants;shirts; vests; socks, stockings, long johns, and, more generally,underwear; gloves; shoes, sneakers, boots, and, more generally,footwear; skirts and kilts; hoodies; leggings; hats/helmets, and, moregenerally, headgear. Garments may be designed for animals, for example,for dogs and other pets. Garments may be used for recreational and sportactivities, such as motorcycling and skiing/other winter sports; work,such as work outside of controlled environments and work in temperaturecontrolled areas such as refrigerators; and conventional everydayactivities.

Some definitions have been explicitly provided above. Other and furtherexplicit and implicit definitions and clarifications of definitions maybe found throughout this document.

FIG. 1 illustrates selected components of a powered garment 100. Thegarment 100 may be a jacket having sleeves 110A and 1108, a neck orcollar 120, and a main body 130. A pocket 135 is on a side of the mainbody 130, and generally may be located anywhere on the jacket 100,inside or outside. Also shown schematically are several electricaland/or electronic components, which may be located inside and possiblysewn or otherwise placed and attached between different layers/lining ofthe jacket 100, and therefore might not be visible from the outside andpossibly also from the inside. It is contemplated that the electroniccomponents may be integrated as part of the weave of the textile of thegarment. Of course, some or all of them might be visible from the insideand/or from the outside. The electrical/electronic components mayinclude a battery 140 (shown inside the pocket 135), a garment charginginterface 145, a wireless transceiver 150, a controller 155, a regulator160, one or more heating or cooling elements 165 (of which only one isshown in the Figure), one or more sensors 170, visible, audible orhaptic indicators (not shown in the Figures), and a control button 175.The electrical/electronic components may be interconnected by wiring;one wire 180 running along a garment seam is partially shown in FIG. 1 .In embodiments, some or all of the wiring may be routed along seams ofthe jacket 100.

Although the electrical/electronic components of the jacket (or anothergarment) 100 are schematically shown as separate devices, some or all ofthem may be combined. Thus, in examples, all of the components arecombined in the enclosure of the battery 140. In examples, the controlbutton is a separate component, and all or at least one other componentsare combined with the battery. More generally, any two or more of thecomponents may be combined.

FIG. 2 illustrates selected components of a charging clothing hanger 200designed to receive the jacket 100. The hanger 200 includes a body 210,a hanging hook 220, a hanger charging interface 230, andelectrical/electronic components for charging and/or interfacing withthe jacket 100. Here as well all or any two or more of the components ofthe hanger 200 may be combined.

The battery 140 may be a rechargeable battery, for example, a NickleCadmium (NiCad) battery, a Nickle Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery, aLithium Ion (Li-Ion) battery, a Lithium-Polymer (LiPo) battery, or anyother electrical energy storage device, including capacitors andsupercapacitors. Note that the battery 140 may have one or severalcells, connected in series, in parallel, or otherwise. The battery 140may be placed, for example, in the pocket 135, either directly or into asub-pocket (inside the pocket 135) designed to receive the battery 140.The battery 140 may be connected and provide power to one or more of theother electrical/electronic components of the jacket 100 that need powerto operate, such as the heating element(s) 165, the wireless transceiver150, the controller 155, the sensor(s) 170, the control button 175, andpossibly others. The battery 140 is also connected to the garmentcharging interface 145 and/or the regulator 160, to receive electricalpower through these components and recharge.

The garment charging interface 145 is designed to couple to the hangercharging interface 230 of the hanger 200. In embodiments, the twocharging interfaces are designed to couple electrical energy viaelectrical induction. Thus, the hanger charging interface 230 mayinclude a sending coil driven with an alternating frequency, and thegarment charging interface 145 may include a receiving coil. When thetwo coils are substantially parallel and/or near each other, they coupleinductively, and electrical energy can be transferred from the hangercharging interface 230 to the garment charging interface 145 by drivingthe sending coil of the interface 230 with alternating current (AC).Thus, the locations of the two charging interfaces may be such that whenthe jacket 100 is hanged on the hanger 200, the two charging interfacesare near each other to allow the inductive transfer of energy from thehanger charging interface 230 to the garment charging interface 145.Inductive transfer of energy can be effected using AC at 50 Hz or 60 Hz,for example. More generally, inductive coupling between the two charginginterfaces may be effected at lower or higher frequencies. In examples,the inductive coupling is such that less than ten percent of the energyavailable to the hanger charging interface 230 for sending to thegarment charging interface 145 is radiated by the hanger charginginterface 230. In examples, the operating frequency is below 100 KHz; inmore specific examples, the operating frequency is below 10 KHz; instill more specific examples, the operating frequency is 1 KHz or less.In examples, each of the interfaces 145/230 is a coil, with a magneticcore to enhance the inductive coupling between the interfaces 145/230,such as 50-60 Hz transformer cores, including laminated andnon-laminated metal cores. In examples, the magnetic cores may be formedso that one fits (approximately) in the other; for instance, thehanger's core may form a cylindrical or conical opening (with the broadpart of the conical opening facing towards the garment), and thegarment's core may form a conus fitting into the hanger's conicalopening, or a cylinder fitting inside the hanger's cylindrical opening.In examples, however, one or both of the interfaces 145/230 do notinclude transformer-like cores.

In embodiments, the alignment of (and therefore mutual coupling between)the interfaces 145/230 is improved by inclusion of magnets in each ofthe interfaces. The magnets may be oriented so that when the jacket 100is hanged on the hanger 200, the two magnets attract the interfaces145/230 to each other, and therefore bring them into closer proximity;for example, the interfaces 145/230 may come into contact with eachother under the force of the magnetic attraction between the oppositepoles of their respective magnets. In examples, however, only one of theinterfaces 145 or 230 includes a magnet, while the other interfaceincludes a magnetic member that is attracted to magnets, andspecifically to the magnet of the first interface. The interface 145 mayinclude a magnet, while the interface 230 may include the magneticmember that, while not necessarily a magnet itself, is attracted to themagnet of the interface 145. Analogously, the interface 230 may includea magnet, while the interface 145 may include such magnetic member. Inexamples, the magnetic member is not a separate element, but theinductive core of the interface in which it is incorporated (theinterface 145 or the interface 230, as the case may be). Thus, such amagnetic member may serve two related functions: help bring the twointerfaces 145/230 nearer each other, and improve the inductive couplingbetween the two interfaces 145/230 by improving the transformer-likeproperties of the combination of the sending and receiving coils ofthese interfaces.

The detailed description of inductive coupling should not be understoodas excluding electromagnetic coupling using higher frequencies, forexample, RF frequencies. Thus, in embodiments, the hanger charginginterface includes an RF radiator antenna driven by appropriatelydesigned/configured power circuitry of the hanger at radio frequency,and the garment charging interface may include an RF radiation receiverantenna coupled to appropriate circuitry (e.g., of the regulator 160)for converting the energy of the received RF emissions into theelectrical energy suitable for recharging the battery of the garment.

The interfaces 145/230 may include contacts to allow charging current toflow from the interface 230 into the interface 145, and the magnets maycouple the interfaces 145/230 so that the contacts couple with the rightpolarity, plus-to-plus, minus-to-minus. The polarity of the contacts maybe controlled with the polarity/orientation of the magnets in therespective interfaces 145/230; in other words, the polarity of themagnets may be such that the contacts couple correctly when theinterfaces 145/230 come together under the forces generated by theirrespective magnets. North-to-South and South-to-North. In otherembodiments, the physical shapes of the interfaces 145 and 230 includeprotrusions and openings/indentations that come together one way toassure that the contacts couple correctly and prevent the opposite(incorrect) coupling of the contacts. As will be discussed in moredetail below in relation to FIGS. 7A and 7B, there may be additionalcontacts on the interfaces 145/230, to allow flow of signals. Thecontacts of the interfaces 145/230 may touch each other without manualinvolvement beyond hanging of the garment on the hanger; this will alsobe discussed in more detail below. An advantage of such mechanical(non-inductive) coupling arrangement may be that there is no need toprovide alternating current drive to the interface 230 or to rectify thereceived AC on the side of the interface 145, simplifying theelectrical/electronic components of the interfaces 145/230 and likelyimproving the efficiency of the energy transfer from the hanger 200 tothe jacket 100.

In examples, several hanger charging interfaces may be present on thehanger such as the hanger 200, and, correspondingly, several garmentcharging interfaces may be present on the garment such as the jacket100. Including several pairs of garment-hanger charging interfaces, forexample, pairs of the interfaces such as the interfaces 145/230, mayreduce charging times and increase the likelihood that at least one ofthe pairs will be functional when a garment is hanged somewhat askew.Examples of such arrangements of multiple hanger charging interfaces areillustrated in FIG. 3 , FIG. 4 , and FIG. 5 .

In embodiments, the interfaces 145 and 230 are or include electricalcouplers such as connectors that a user (e.g., the wearer of the jacket100) plugs into each other when the user hangs the jacket 100 on thehanger 200.

As has already been mentioned, a single hanger may have multiple hangercharging interfaces, and a single garment such as a jacket may also havemultiple garment charging interfaces. Note that the multiple hangercharging interfaces included on one hanger may be of different types, ascan be multiple garment charging interfaces on a single garment. Forexample, a mechanical connector-type charging interface may coexist withan inductively coupled charging interface on the same item such as thejacket 100 and the hanger 200. Moreover, multiple hanger charginginterfaces may be used to charge multiple garments in parallel, at thesame time.

The regulator 160 receives the electrical power from the garmentcharging interface 145, converts/conditions the received power so it canbe used to charge the battery 140, and charges the battery 140 as neededwhile the interface 145 receives the power from the interface 230.Conversion may include rectification, smoothing/filtering, regulation toa lower or sometimes a higher voltage, and/or other functions. Theoperation of the regulator 160 may be controlled, in whole or in part,by the controller 155.

In embodiments where the interfaces 145/230 are designed for mechanicalcoupling (i.e., non-inductive coupling, such as electrical contacts andmanually coupled male-female connectors), the power received from thehanger charging interface may be suitable for charging the battery 140directly, without conversion or conditioning. In such embodiments, allor part of the charging circuitry may be built into or connected to thehanger such as the hanger 200.

The wireless transceiver 150 may be a Bluetooth® transceiver or anothertype of short range radio frequency (RF) transceiver. The wirelesstransceiver 150 may be capable of pairing with various other RF devices,such as other Bluetooth®-enabled devices, and sending data to and/orreceiving data from these devices. In examples, the wireless transceiver150 has a communication range of less than 100 meters; in more specificexamples, the communication range is less than 10 meters; in still morespecific examples, the communication range is less than 1 meter.

The controller 155 may be a general purpose microprocessor or amicrocontroller capable of executing code stored in the internal memoryof the controller 155, or in another memory that is one of theelectrical/electronic components of the jacket 100. The controller 155may also be a dedicated processor, for example, an application-specificintegrated circuit processor, field-configurable processing logic, anumber of discrete components implementing control circuitry, or anotherkind of processor. The controller 155 may be connected to any of theother electrical/electronic components, to change their states and/orread data from these components.

Each of the heating elements 165 may be a resistive heating element,such as a resistive wire, coiled, straight, or otherwise arranged. Inembodiments, each or some of the heating elements 165 may include pipingallowing a warm/hot fluid or gas (“thermal flow agent”) to flow,controlled by a fluid or gas valve that controllably allows andinterrupts the flow of the fluid or gas. Note that the thermal flowagent may also or instead carry cooling air or fluid, for controllablycooling the jacket/garment and the wearer of the jacket/garment; inembodiments where the element 165 may provide cooling instead of or inaddition to cooling, it may be referred to as a “thermal controlelement” or “thermal control device.” The electrical drive of theelement 165 or the state of the fluid/gas valve may be controlled by theprocessor 155.

The sensors 170 may include biometric sensors, such as heart ratesensors, breathing rate sensors, temperature sensors, blood pressuresensors, movement sensors, and other sensors. The processor 155 may beconnected to the sensors 170 to read data from the sensors 170, and toconfigure the sensors. More generally, the processor 155 may beconnected to all or some of the sensors 170 and to any and all otherelectrical/electronic components of the garment 100 with wired and/orwireless connections; the wired connections may be USB connections: theconnections may implement a data bus, serial or parallel. As will beelaborated below, the processor 155 may be connected in the same fashionto sensor(s), processor(s), and/or any other electrical/electroniccomponents of other powered garments, particularly powered garments wornat the time by the same user.

The control button 175 may be coupled to the processor 155 and providean interface between the wearer of the jacket 100 and the processor. Theinterface may include both or either input(s) and output(s). Inexamples, the button 175 includes one or more color LEDs (or other lightemitters) that indicate the status of the jacket 100. For example,different colors and/or color intensities emitted by such light emittersmay indicate different intensities of the drive to the heatingelement(s) 165. For example, four different LED colors may indicate 25%of maximum output power, 50%, 75%, or 100%; more generally, any numberof power levels may be programmed. The control button 175 may alsoinclude a switch, such as a toggle switch. For example, pressing thebutton may turn the electrical/electronic components on and sequentiallyincrease the power drive to the heating elements 165; pushing it oncemay turn the drive on at 25% of the maximum output power, pushing thebutton for the second time may increase the drive to 50%, pushing thebutton the third time may increase the drive to 75%, and pushing thebutton the fourth time may increase the drive to full power output, andpushing the button again may turn the power off. The LED colors orintensities may change accordingly, as described in this paragraph andelsewhere in this document.

The control button 175 may also be used to input additional commands tothe processor 155 and control multiple functionalities of the garment100. For example, the wearer can press the control button and hold itdepressed for longer and shorter periods of time, and such single buttonpressings/clicks and/or sequences of long/short pressings/clicks can beinterpreted by the processor 155 according to a predeterminedcorrespondence between various commands and single or multiple pressings/clicks. The predetermined correspondence may be stored, for example,as a table in the internal memory of the controller 155 or in anothermemory that is one of the electrical/electronic components of the jacket100. The controller may also activate the lights of the control button175 and/or other lights that of the electrical/electronic components ofthe jacket 100, to assist the user in inputting desired commands. Forexample, if the jacket 100 has several heating panels or zones that canbe controlled separately, the user may press the button 175 inpredetermined ways to turn from controlling one panel or zone of thejacket 100 to another, and then input power control command once theuser selects the desired panel/zone. As the user switches from one panelto another, the processor 155 may turn on LED or another light builtinto or placed near the currently-controlled panel so that the user canvisually confirm that the user is controlling the desired panel.Similarly. LEDs or lights may be built into various sensors and the usermay switch from programming one sensor to another and visually confirmthe selected sensor. It is also contemplated that in certain embodimentsthe described visual indicators could be replaced by audible or hapticindicators. As will be elaborated below, additional powered garments maybe coupled to the garment 100, particularly powered garments worn at thetime by the same user, and be controllable by the garment 100; thecontrol button 175 may be used to program/control these connectedpowered garments,

In embodiments, the garment charging interface 145 is built into themain label of the garment 100.

The electrical/electronic components of the hanger 200 may include atransformer with a cord pluggable into electric outlets, rectificationcircuitry, smoothing/filtering circuitry, downconversion and/orregulation circuitry, inversion circuitry for converting thedownconverted/regulated AC into AC suitable to drive the hanger charginginterface 230. In embodiments, however, the transformer of theelectrical/electronic components of the hanger 200 converts the voltageof the AC from the cord to AC at a voltage suitable for driving thehanger charging interface 230. In embodiments, the AC from the corddrives the hanger charging interface 230 directly, without voltagedownconversion. In other embodiments, the electrical/electroniccomponents of the hanger 200 include components for producing a DCsource that directly, or through a regulator or other downconversioncircuitry, can charge the battery 140; this may be the case if theinterfaces 145/230 are or include connectors pluggable into each otheror contacts touching each other, as has already been mentioned and willbe described in more detail below. In another configuration, theelectrical/electronic components of the hanger 200 include a battery,which may have capacity larger and even substantially larger (3-15times) than the battery 140 of the garment 100, and circuitry to convertthe DC voltage from the battery of the hanger to charge the battery 140of the garment. For example, the hanger 200 may include an inverter andother circuitry to convert the DC of hanger battery into AC that drivesthe hanger charging interface 230; as another example, the battery ofthe hanger charges the battery 140 of the hanger 100 directly or viaregulator and/or another type of voltage downconverter, at a lower orsometimes a higher voltage.

FIG. 3 illustrates a hanger 300 with a main body 310, a hook 320, andtwo hanger charging interfaces 330A and 330B, positioned on each sideextension or “wing” of the hanger 300. The hanger charging interfaces330A/330B may be inductive interfaces and/or contact interfaces, forexample. Here and elsewhere in this document and the attached drawings,an inductively-coupled hanger charging interface may but need not extendbeyond the surface of the hanger, and may be effective in both front andrear directions. In this way, however the garment is hanged, the hangercharging interface may send electrical power to a corresponding garmentcharging interface, or charge a powered garment and another device suchas a spare battery. Thus, a contact hanger charger interface may havecontacts on both its front and rear. Similarly, an inductive hangercharger interface may have sending coils on front and rear;alternatively, a single sending coil may be positioned so that it cancouple inductively to receiving coils on both front and rear of thehanger.

FIG. 4 illustrates a hanger 400 with a main body 410, a book 420, andtwo hanger charging interfaces 430A and 430B on the different sideextensions of the hanger 400, as well as a third interface 430Csubstantially in the center of and near the hook of the hanger 400. Eachof the hanger charging interfaces here may be, for example, a contactinterface or an inductive interface. The hanger 400 also includes ahanger charging interface 430D, which is a cord with an electricalconnector on its end.

FIG. 5 illustrates a hanger 500 with a main body 510, a hook 520, andcharging interfaces 530A and 5308 on top of the opposite wings of thehanger 500.

The magnetic coupling of the charging interfaces 145/230 may be extendedto additional interfaces of additional devices. For example, theinterface 230 may couple to the interface 145 on one side, and at thesame time couple to another charging interface on the opposite side.

FIGS. 6A, 6B. 6C, 6D, 6E, 6F. 6G, and 6H illustrate different views of afoldable/portable hanger 600 capable of charging simultaneously apowered garment such as the jacket 100, and one or more other devices,such as one or more batteries for providing electrical power to poweredgarment(s) or other battery-powered devices. The hanger 600 includes abody 610, a hook 620 that can be folded into a matching hook recess 622(shown in FIGS. 6C/6D) of the body 610, extenders 655A and 655B that canbe lowered into extender recesses on the sides of the body 610, as wellas extended, as is shown in some of the Figures. The hanger 600 alsoincludes electrical/electronic components identical, similar oranalogous to such components discussed in relation to the hanger 200.Here, the body 610 includes an electrical receptacle 660 on the bottomof the hanger 600 (FIGS. 6F/6G), with prongs configured to receiveelectric power from a cord with a matching plug on one end. In someexamples, the second end of the cord plugs into a wall receptacle (or asimilar receptacle) providing common household/office power, say 110/220VAC. In other examples, the cord also includes a power supply, such as atransformer and possibly also a rectifier/regulator for providing alower AC or DC voltage to the hanger 600. In still other examples, thecord may connect the hanger 600 to a IX power source such as a battery.The cord or the cord-power supply combination may be considered part ofthe hanger 600.

The hanger 600 further includes hanger charger interfaces 630A and 630B,on front and rear surfaces of the hanger 600. In FIGS. 6 , the hangercharging interfaces 630A are the same, one on the front and another onthe rear of the hanger 600. One of the interfaces is discussed, with theunderstanding that the same applies to the other hanger charginginterface.

FIG. 7A shows the surface of the interface 630A with four conductiveelectrical contacts with reference designators 632-1, 632-2, 632-3, and632-4. The contact 632-1 covers the inside of a circle; and contacts632-2 through 632-4 are concentric rings separated by insulatingmaterial from each other and from the contact 632-1. The contacts of theinterface 630 here may correspond to five USB contacts: Ground, Power+,Power−, Data+, and Data−, with the Ground and the Power-contactscombined and connected to the same circle. The USB pinout and inclusionof data transfer pins (such as Data+/Data−) are not necessarily requiredin all embodiments. Each of the interfaces 630A/630B also includes amagnet internal to the hanger 600. The magnets are for attracting themagnets of the counterpart interfaces (to be discussed) on garmentcharging interfaces or batteries. The contact 632-1 may be part of amagnet of the interface, or the magnet may be located at the center ofand under the surface of the interface 630A.

The hanger charging interfaces 630A/630B also includeelectrical/electronic components, such as the electrical/electroniccomponents of the hanger charging interface 230 of the charging clothinghanger 200. Here, however, the electrical/electronic components maysupport two interfaces (630A/630B) rather than a single interface. Inexamples, however, two sets of some or all of the electrical/electronicinterfaces are present, one per interface 630A and 630B.

FIG. 7B shows the surface of an interface 745 that is capable of matingwith the interface 630A. The interface 745 may be part of a garment,such as the interface 145 of the garment 100. The external surface ofthe interface 745 includes five smaller contacts 747-1 through 747-5.“Smaller contact” here means essentially a point contact, with a muchsmaller area (by at least a factor of 10, or even at least a factor of100) than the total area of the surface of the interface of which it isa part.

When the illustrated surfaces of the interfaces 630A and 745 come intocontact so that the circles on each of the interfaces are concentric,the contact 632-1 (the inside of the conductive circle) will touch thecontact 747-1, the contact (conductive ring) 632-2 will touch thecontact 747-2, the contact 632-3 will touch the contact 747-3, and thecontact 632-4 will touch the contacts 747-4 and 747-5. (Recall that theGround and the Power-contacts may be combined).

Conductors internal to the interface 630A connect the contacts 632 tothe appropriate electrical/electronic components of the interface 630A.In operation, these conductors may carry electrical energy from thegarment charging interface 745 to the circuitry of the interface 630A,and carry signals between the two interfaces 630A/745. Analogously,conductors internal to the interface 745 connect the contacts 747 to theappropriate electrical/electronic components of the interface 745. Inoperation, these conductors may carry electrical energy from the garmentcharging interface 745 to the interface 630A, and signals between thetwo interfaces.

As was already mentioned, the garment charging interface 630A includes amagnet at the center. The garment charging interface 745 also includes amagnet at its center, under the surface with the contacts 747. The twomagnets are disposed (located) and oriented (North/South) so that theyattract and bring the two surfaces together, concentrically, and thecontacts 632 and 747 touch each other as is described above, and enablethe flow of electrical energy from the interface 745 to the interface630A, as well as flow of signals between the two interfaces. Note,however, that interface of the charging device (e.g., of the charginghanger) may be like the interface 630, and the garment interface may belike the interface 745; here, the flow of energy and the flow of signalswould be reversed.

In examples, the two hanger charger interfaces 630A and 630B areidentical or analogous, but facing in different directions. In otherexamples, the hanger charger interfaces 630A and 630B are different: onesuch as the interface 630A with the circle and ring contacts and alocating magnet, the other with the rectangular or otherwise shapedsmaller footprint contacts as described and shown above in relation tothe interface 745; such embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 6I. (For thisreason, the surface of the interface 630B in some of the Figures doesnot show details.) Moreover, the two interfaces may be of differenttypes, for example, one being a contact-based interface such as theinterface 630A, the other being an inductive interface.

FIGS. 8A, 8B, 8C, and 8D illustrate selected features of a charger 800with a garment charger interface 845, which is identical, similar, oranalogous to the garment interface 745 discussed above. The charger 800also includes prongs 870 that may be plugged into a wall outlet, and aport 875 that may be a USB port capable of providing DC power andcommunicating using the USB industry standard. The electrical/electroniccomponents of the charger 800 may be identical, similar, or analogous tothe electrical/electronic components of the charging clothing hanger200, for example, including a transformer for downconverting the ACvoltage from the wall outlet, rectification circuitry,smoothing/filtering circuitry, and DC regulation circuitry that providesDC voltage for charging a powered garment coupled to the hanger charginginterface 845.

FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate different views of a garment battery 900,which is pluggable into a power receptacle of a powered garment, toprovide electrical power to the garment. The garment may be such as thegarment/jacket 100 and the battery 900 may be used as the battery 140.Note charger interfaces 930A and 930B on opposite sides of the battery900. These interfaces are identical, similar, or analogous to the hangercharger interfaces 630A and 845, discussed above. Here, the interface930A is compatible with the interface 845 of the wall-pluggable charger800. Moreover, the interfaces 930A are mutually compatible, meaning thatan interface 930A of one battery 900 can be connected to an interface930B of another battery 900. Thus, the smaller (rectangular) contacts ofthe interface 845 of the charger 800 will touch the circular (inside thecentral circle, rings) contacts of the interface 930A when the twointerfaces are brought together; the smaller rectangular contacts of theinterface 930B of a first battery 900 will touch the circular contactsof the interface 930A of a second battery 900. Additionally, the magnetsunder the surfaces of the interfaces 830/930A/930B have such polaritiesthat different interfaces attract: the interface 845 will therefore beattracted to the interfaces 930A; and the interface 930B on the firstbattery 900 will be attracted to the interface 930A of the secondbattery 900. And recall that the magnets are positioned so that theinterfaces tend to be centered under the forces of magnetic attraction,so that the coupling of the two interfaces is proper for transmission ofelectrical power from the charger 800 to the batteries 900, and from onebattery 900 to another.

FIG. 10 illustrates selected features of a combination 1000 of a charger800 and three batteries 900. Note a port 912-2 on the battery 900-2 anda port 912-3 on the battery 900-3. These are for connecting thebatteries 912-2 and 912-3, respectively, to the garment electronics, andpossibly to other devices. The battery 900-1 has the same type of porton its lower side/edge, which is not visible in FIG. 10 . As a personskilled in the art would readily understand after careful perusal ofthis document and the attached drawings, the circular contacts of theinterface 930A (the contacts 632 in FIG. 7A) enable coupling theinterfaces 930A (or 630A in FIG. 7A) to the interfaces 9308 (or 745 inFIG. 71 , or 845 in FIGS. 8A/8B) regardless of the relative circularorientation of the two devices (of the battery 900-1 relative to thecharger 800, and the battery 900-1 relative to the battery 900-2, etc.).Thus, the batteries 900 and the charger 800 can be rotated 360 degreeson the axis that goes through the centers of the round interfaces930A/930B.

Note also a port 914-2 on the battery 900-2 and 914-3 on the battery900-3. These ports may be physically and/or electrically different fromthe ports 912, and may also be used for connecting the batteries to thegarment electronics and/or to other devices.

Let us now turn back to the hanger 200 and its hanger charging interface230. In embodiments, the interface 230 includes an interface 230-1 andan interface 230-B, respectively on the front and rear of the hanger. Asingle interface may be implemented with two surfaces and placed so asto enable charging of garments/batteries from both front and rear, forexample, including interface surfaces such as 630 on both front andrear, as has already been mentioned in relation to FIG. 6 . FIG. 11A andFIG. 11B show, respectively, selected features of the front and rear ofa hanger 1100, which is a version of the hanger 200 with thisarrangement. The hanger 1100 includes a body 1110, a hanging hook 1120,hanger charging interfaces 1130A and 1130B, and electrical/electroniccomponents for charging and/or interfacing with the jacket 100. Any twoor more of the components of the hanger 1100 may be combined. Each ofthe interfaces 1130A/1130B is similar to the interface 830 of thecharger 800, FIG. 8 ; it has five smaller contacts, such as the contacts747-1 through 747-5, arranged in the same way. The interface 145 of thegarment 100 may then be such as the interface 930A of the battery 900.When the garment 100 is hanged on the hanger 1100, the interface 145will be near the interface 1130A (or 1130B, depending on the way thegarment 100 is hanged). The two interfaces will be attracted because oftheir internal magnets, and will couple with each other and staycoupled, so that the circular contacts of the interface 145 will touchthe smaller contacts of the interface 1130A (or 1130B, as the case maybe), allowing transfer of electrical energy and/or data between thehanger 1100 to the garment 100. A battery 900 may be coupled to theother interface 1130B (or 1130A, as the case may be), and be charged atthe same time. Moreover, additional batteries 900 may beattachably/removably stacked in an arrangement such as the arrangement100 illustrated in FIG. 10 , and be charged at the same time.

In embodiments, the interfaces 1130A and 1130B are such as theinterfaces 930A and 630A, with circular contacts; and the interface 145of the garment 100 is then such as the interfaces 745 and 845, withsmaller rectangular contacts.

FIG. 12 illustrates selected parts of a combination 1200 that includes apowered garment 100 (such as is described in relation to FIG. 1 ) oranother powered garment (including all feature combinations and featurepermutations described and suggested in this document and the attacheddrawings). The combination 1200 also includes a portable device 1205,for example, a mobile device such as a smartphone, a tablet, a smartwatch, a computer. The portable device 1205 includes a processing systemof one or more processors and related/supporting components (memories,I/O, etc.) The portable device 1205 also includes one or more firstradios, such as cellular transceivers. WiFi transceivers, and similarRadio Frequency (RF) receivers and/or transmitters. The portable device1205 also includes a second radio, which would typically (but notnecessarily) be an RF radio, e.g., a receiver, a transmitter, or both.The second radio is compatible with the wireless transceiver 150 of thegarment 100. As shown in FIG. 12 , the portable device 1205 communicateswith the garment 100 via a link 1210 between the second radio of theportable device 1205 and the transceiver 150 of the powered garment 100.For example, the link 1210 may be a Bluetooth® link, possibly aBluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) link.

The portable device receives an “app” (software designed to run onportable/mobile devices, such as smartphones/tablets). The app may be,for example, preloaded on the portable device 1205, downloaded to theportable device 1205, transferred to the portable device 1205 through awired connection, and/or reside in firmware built into or connected tothe portable device 1205. The powered garment 100 includes counterpartsoftware (another app) that is designed to communicate and interact withthe app on the portable device 1205.

The two apps, executing by the respective processors of the portabledevice 1205 and the powered garment 100, configure the portable device1205 and the powered garment 100 to establish the link 1210, and toperform various steps/actions described and illustrated in this documentand the attached drawings. Thus, the user/wearer of the powered garment100 can control the functionality of the powered garment 100 through theportable device 1205, including the control functions described above inconnection with the control button 175. Exemplary functions that theuser can perform through the portable device 1205 include: selecting oneor more zones/panels of the garment 100 for subsequent action(s);turning on and off heat in one more zones/panels of the garment 100;increasing/decreasing the power level of all or selected zone(s);obtaining a reading of the remaining battery charge level and estimatedremaining power-on time; selecting one or more sensor(s) of the garment100; obtaining data from all or selected sensors of the garment 100; andothers. The functions may also relate to additional powered garments ofthe user/wearer that are connected to the garment 100. This will bediscussed below.

FIG. 13 illustrates selected steps of an exemplary process forperforming a user-selected function by a powered garment.

At flow point 1301, the appropriate apps are present in the user mobiledevice and the garment, the user mobile is powered up, and theelectronics in the powered garment are turned on and initialized.

In step 1305, the user activates the app on the mobile device.

In step 1310, the mobile device app and the software in the electronicsof the powered garment establish a communication link, such as aBluetooth® link.

In step 1315, the mobile device app displays to the user of the mobiledevice a menu or menus of commands. In variants, the app otherwiseprovides to the user a selection of commands, for example, withpre-recorded instructions.

In step 1320, the app receives the user's selection; for example, theuser touches the selection on the menu, or articulates the selection forthe mobile device's voice recognition software that communicates withthe app.

In step 1325, the app generates a command that corresponds to the user'sselection and transmits the command via the link to the powered garment.

In step 1330, the electronics of the powered garment receive thecommand, through the link and a transceiver of the garment'selectronics.

In step 1335, the processing system of the garment (such as amicroprocessor/microcontroller) interprets/recognizes the command andcauses the garment to perform the command. For example, it selects oneor more zones/panels, turns on or off heat in one more zones/panels ofthe garment, increases/decreases the power level of the zones/panels,measures or recalls from a memory remaining battery charge reading,selects sensor(s) of the garment, obtains data from the sensor(s).

In step 1340, the electronics of the powered garment send via the linkdata and/or a confirmation/acknowledgement to the mobile device. Forexample, the acknowledgement may simply confirm that the command hasbeen received and/or acted on. As another example, the data transmittedmay include sensor data. As still another example, the data may includebattery state of the powered garment or current power setting of one ormore panel(s)/zone(s).

In step 1345, the mobile device receives via the link the data and/orconfirmation/acknowledgement from the garment.

In step 1350, the mobile device (executing the app) provides to the userthe confirmation/acknowledgement and/or the data and/or some informationderived from the data. For example, the mobile device may provide soundand/or haptic indication of the acknowledgment. As another example, themobile device displays the data or the information.

The process may then end at flow point 1399, and may be repeated asneeded or desired.

FIG. 14 illustrates selected parts of a combination 1400 that includesthree powered garments: a “master garment” 100M, a first “slave garment”100S1, and a second slave garment 100S2. Each of these powered garmentsmay include any of the features of the powered garment 100 of FIGS. 1/12, and other features described throughout this document andillustrated in the attached drawings, including features related tomaster-slave operation of the combination 1400 described below.

The combination 1400 also includes a portable device 1405 such as themobile device 1205 of FIG. 12 . A powered garment app is preloaded ontothe mobile device 1405, and each of the powered garments100M/100S1/100S2 includes counterpart apps designed to communicate withthe app on the portable device 1405. Operational and other details ofthis embodiment may be identical, analogous, or similar to such detailsdescribed above in connection with the combination 1200, with additionalfeatures of the apps that relate to master-slave operation.

The four apps (on each of the powered garments 100M/100S1/100S2 and theportable device 1405), executed by the respective processors of thegarments and the mobile device, configure the portable device 1405 andthe powered garments 100M/100S1/100S2 to establish a link 1410 betweenthe master garment 100M and the portable device, and links 1412/1414,between the master garment 100M and slave garments 100S1 and 100S2,respectively. The instructions further configure the portable device1405 and the garments 100M/100S1/100S2 to perform various steps/actions.Through the established links, the user/wearer of the powered garments100M/100S1/100S2 can control the functionality of the powered garmentsthrough the portable device 1405, including the control functionsdescribed above in connection with the control button 175. Exemplaryfunctions that the user can perform through the portable device 1405include: selecting a powered garment from among the garments100M/100S1/100S2 for subsequent action(s)/commands; selecting one ormore zones/panels of the garment 100M/100S1/100S2 for subsequentaction(s); turning on and off heat in one more zones/panels of thegarments 100M/100S1/100S2; increasing/decreasing the power level of allor selected garment(s) or zone(s); reading the remaining battery chargelevel and estimated remaining power-on time for the garments100M/100S1/100S2; selecting one or more sensor(s) of the garments100M/100S1/100S2; obtaining data from all or the selected sensors of thegarments 100M/100S1/100S2; and others.

As a person skilled in the art would understand after careful perusal ofthis document and the attached drawings, the configuration 1400 can bereduced to a single slave garment, or extended with additional slavegarments connected to the master garment 100M.

Although FIG. 14 shows the garment 100M as a jacket and the garments100S1/100S2 as socks, other powered garments can be substituted for eachof these garments.

The communication link 1410 can be identical, similar, or analogous tothe link 1210 of FIG. 12 , and can be established in the same, similar,or analogous way. The communication links 1412 and 1414 between theelectronic/electrical components of the master garment 100M and theelectronic/electrical components of the slave garments 100S1 and 100S2may be wireless and established automatically by theelectronic/electrical components of the powered garments, or by the appof the portable device 1405 directing the powered garment 100M toperform the requisite steps. These garment-to-garment links may also bewired connections. For example, the user may plug into each othercorresponding connectors of the powered garments 100M/100S1 and/or100M/100S2. Once the wired connections are made, the links can also beestablished automatically or with the app of the portable device 1405directing the process. Either way, each of these connections isestablished and the master garment 100M can communicate with the slavegarments 100S1 and 100S2, for example, transmitting data and/or commandsto the slaves, and/or receiving data from the slaves. Moreover, the appsof the garments and the portable device 1405 configure thegarments/device so that the portable device 1405 can control the slaves,transmit data to the slaves, and/or receive data from the slaves, withthe control commands and the data going through the master 100M.

FIG. 15 illustrates selected parts of a combination 1500 that is similarto the combination 1400 described above. Thus, the garments100M/100S1/100S2 are identical, similar, or analogous to theidentically-designated garments of the combination 1400; portable device1505 may be identical, similar, or analogous to the portable device1405; and connections 1510 and 1512 may be identical, similar, oranalogous to, respectively, the connections 1410 and 1412. Here,however, the second slave garment 100S2 is connected to the first slavegarment 100S1 by connection 1514. The connection 1514 may be wired orwireless, and otherwise identical, similar, or analogous to theconnection 1512. Additionally, the apps in the powered garments100M/100S1/100S2 and the portable device 1505 enable the portable deviceto control and exchange data with the second slave garment 100S2; thecommands and/or data between the portable device 1505 and the secondslave garment 100S2 in this embodiment flow through both the mastergarment 100M and the first slave garment 100S1.

As a person skilled in the art would understand after careful perusal ofthis document and the attached drawings, the configuration 1500 can beextended with additional slave garments so that commands and databetween the portable device 1505 and the additional garments flowthrough the link 1510 and multiple slave-to-slave links. Moreover,additional “primary” slave garments may be connected to the mastergarment 100M, and still more “secondary” slave garments may be connectedto the master garment 100M through the primary slave garments. The usercan then control the master garment 100M and all the slaves from theportable device 1505.

In embodiments, power drive to one or more garments (masters and/orslaves), panels, and/or zones is adjusted automatically in response to asensor indicating a change in the ambient conditions. The sensor may bea temperature sensor placed at or near the outside layer of a garment,and the power drive may be increased or decreased when an abrupt changein the temperature is detected by the software of the garment or ofanother garment or an app of a mobile device communicating with thegarment. An abrupt temperature change may be indicated if thetemperature sensor reading indicates that the temperature change rate(TEMP_(current)−TEMP_(previous))/(TIMEe_(current)−TIME_(previous))exceeds a predetermined rate limit. Thus, the system may be configuredto decrease or turn off the power drive in response to an ambienttemperature increase exceeding the rate limit. Similarly, the system maybe configured to increase or turn on the power drive in response to theabsolute value of the ambient temperature decrease exceeding the ratelimit; or in response to the absolute value of the ambient temperaturedecrease exceeding the rate limit and the ambient temperature beingbelow a predetermined “cold” temperature. In embodiments, an analogousmethod is employed with thermal flow agents, to increase/decrease heatprovided to one or more garments of a user, and/or to increase/decreasecooling provided to the one or more garments.

A garment carrier/bag or a closet may incorporate any of the features ofthe hangers discussed throughout this document, and provide the same orsimilar/analogous functionality. The features may be included in ahanger built into such a garment carrier/bag/closet, or provided by thecarrier/bag/closet without reliance on the hanger. As an example. FIG.16 is a front perspective view illustrating selected features of agarment travel bag 1600 with a built-in garment charger and datainterface(s) (wired or wireless). The garment travel bag 1600 includes abag body 1655, which may be made, for example, of vinyl, leather,textile, or another material used for such garment storage devices. Thebag body 1655 includes a top 1656, a first (right) side 1657, and afront 1658. There may also be other external areas, to wit, a back, abottom, a second/left side, but these are not visible in the Figure. Azipper or another length fastener 1660 is located vertically on thefront 1658 and allows inserting garments into, and removing garmentsfrom, the bag body 1655. A top opening 1662 may be provided tofacilitate the use of hanger(s) (whether conventional or as described inthis document) with the garment travel bag 1600.

A pair of enclosure charging interfaces 1665A/1665B are built into, orattachable to, the garment travel bag 1600, for coupling to the garmentcharging interfaces of the garment(s) inside the bag body 1655. Theenclosure charging interfaces 1665A/1665B may be identical, analogous,or similar to the hanger charging interfaces that have already beendiscussed at some length, including relatively-low frequency (e.g., <100KHz) inductive charging interfaces, contact interfaces such as theinterfaces 630A/630B with circular and smaller rectangular contacts,pluggable connectors, and induction exciters operating at radiofrequencies. In examples, the enclosure charging interfaces 1665A/1665Bmay not be visible from outside. There may be just a single enclosurecharging interface, or more than two such enclosure charging interfaces.Moreover, the one or more enclosure charging interfaces may be locatedin various positions and on different sides (left, right, front, rear,top, bottom) of the garment travel bag 1600, and need not be circularbut fabricated in different shapes. A power cord 1672 protrudes throughan opening 1670, and has a plug 1673 on its end, for connecting to thepower grid and providing electrical power to the garment travel bag 1600and for charging the garments inside the garment travel bag 1600. Thegarment travel bag 1600 also includes electronics, which are not visiblein the Figure. As has already been mentioned, the electronics mayprovide garment charging capability, and communication transceivers(e.g., cellular transceivers, Bluetooth® transceivers, WiFitransceivers, other RF transceivers, wired transceivers such asEthernet) for connecting to the garments in/near the garment travel bag1650, and/or connecting to other networks, including connecting directlyor indirectly to wide area networks.

In conclusion, notice that not every illustrated/described step anddecision block may be required in every embodiment in accordance withthe concepts described in this document, while some steps and decisionblocks that have not been specifically illustrated may be desirable ornecessary in some embodiments in accordance with the concepts. It shouldbe noted, however, that specificembodiments/variants/examples/implementations use the particularorder(s) in which the steps and decisions (if applicable) are shownand/or described.

The features (elements/limitations) described/illustrated throughoutthis document and the drawings may be present individually, or in anycombination or permutation, except where the presence or absence ofspecific features is inherently required, explicitly indicated, or isotherwise made clear from the description/drawings. This applies whetheror not the features appear related to specific embodiments; in otherwords, features of one described or illustrated embodiment may beincluded in another described or illustrated embodiment.

The instructions (machine executable code) corresponding to the methodsteps of the embodiments, variants, examples, and implementationsdisclosed in this document and the attached drawings may be embodieddirectly in hardware, in software, in firmware, or in combinationsthereof. A software module may be stored in volatile memory, flashmemory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM),Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), hard disk, a CD-ROM, aDVD-ROM, or other forms of non-transitory storage medium. Exemplarystorage medium or media may be coupled to one or more processors so thatthe one or more processors can read information from, and writeinformation to, the storage medium or media. In an alternative, thestorage medium or media may be integral to one or more processors.

This document describes in detail the inventive apparatus, methods, andarticles of manufacture for powered garments, chargers of such garments,interconnections of such garments, and operation/configuration of suchgarments and chargers. This was done for illustration purposes and,therefore, the foregoing description and the drawings are notnecessarily intended to limit the spirit and scope of the invention(s)described. Neither the specific embodiments nor their featuresnecessarily limit the general principles underlying the invention(s).The specific features described/illustrated herein may be used in someembodiments, but not in others, without departure from the spirit andscope of the invention(s) as set forth herein. Various physicalarrangements of components and various step sequences also fall withinthe intended scope of the invention(s). Many additional modificationsare intended in the foregoing disclosure, and it will be appreciated bythose of ordinary skill in the pertinent art that in some instances somefeatures will be employed in the absence of a corresponding use of otherfeatures. The embodiments described above are illustrative and notnecessarily limiting, although they or their selected features may belimiting for some claims. The illustrative examples therefore do notnecessarily define the metes and bounds of the invention(s) and thelegal protection afforded the invention(s).

What is claimed is:
 1. A hanger system, comprising: a main body having acentral portion, a first support protruding sideways from the centralportion in a first direction, and a second support protruding from thecentral portion in a second direction, the main body forming a firstsurface and a second surface; a hanging attachment device attached tothe main body to allow the hanger system to be hanged with the firstsupport and the second support pointing in opposite horizontaldirections; a first hanger charging interface attached to the main bodyand configured to couple to a garment charging interface of a poweredgarment and to recharge a rechargeable battery of the powered garment,the first hanger charging interface comprising: a sending coil disposedinside the main body near the first surface and near the second surfaceto couple inductively to a receiving coil of the garment charginginterface when the powered garment is hanged on the hanger system, and ahanger magnet having a first pole configured to attract the garmentcharging interface of the powered garment; and hanger circuitryconfigured to drive the sending coil with alternating current to coupleinductively to the receiving coil at a frequency under 10 KHz, therebyproviding charging electric energy for charging the rechargeable batteryof the powered garment.